1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices attachable to frames of structures such as buildings, towers, bridges, and the like both during and after the construction of the structure. In particular, the invention relates to a climbing device removably attachable to a beam, girder or column of the building frame, such as an I-beam, to provide secure footing or secure attachment for construction personnel to the frame while working on the building.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The construction of large steel structures, such as office buildings, bridges, apartment dwellings, and other large multi-story buildings, often times place construction personnel in potentially hazardous locations during both the construction of the building and after its completion, typically during maintenance and general upkeep of the structure. Typically, during construction, after the foundation is laid the building frame is constructed of steel beams having the general cross-section in the shape of an “I”, and are typically known as I-beams. As the I-beams are laid in place, they are bolted together to form the frame of the building so that the floors and walls may be put in place as construction of the building moves towards completion.
The I-beams are generally lifted into place by cranes and other large pieces of equipment, and then are joined by steelworkers who bolt the I-beams into place at specific locations. The steel workers are typically located in potentially hazardous locations, in that there is no flooring or secure footing in place until the I-beams are actually bolted into place. The steelworker may bolt the I-beams into place while standing in the bucket of a conventional bucket truck, or, in more common situations, the worker must wrap a safety tether or belt around an I-beam or column already in place, and connect the belt or tether to a harness which he wears on his upper body. This makes for a slow and tedious process; each time the worker moves from beam to beam, he must disconnect himself, unwrap the tether from the column or beam, and move to the next location.
A further disadvantage of the existing methods for constructing building frames lies in the fact that most I-beams upon which workers are expected to stand are typically between 8″ and 24″ wide. The thinner the beam, the less footing the worker has on which to stand and consequently the worker must take great care to secure his footing and tether himself to the existing frame of the building. This slows the construction process, and consequently increases the cost of both the construction of the building, and its related costs such as insurance premiums.
A climbing device overcoming the above-discussed disadvantages is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,806,628 and 6,041,981 to Fullam et al. and is fully incorporated herewith by reference. With the modern building structures becoming more and more tall and complex, the demands to the safety of steel workers also rise. Some of the newly developed safety requirements may not be fully met by known devices.
A need exists for a climbing device having simple kinematics and configured to have a locking mechanism securely attaching the climbing device to the I-beam or column while providing for a secure and rapid connection of the climbing device to building structures.